The Santa Rosa City Council has selected Lori Ann Farrell as the new Interim City Manager. The formal contract will be approved by the City Council on December 2, 2025, and she will start on January 2, 2026. Ms. Farrell is temporarily filling this role following City Manager Maraskeshia Smith’s departure.
“Ms. Farrell is an accomplished and experienced city manager,” said Mayor Mark Stapp. “She understands the complexities of municipal government and has extensive experience managing challenges like those facing Santa Rosa. We’re pleased to have her lead our executive team while we conduct a recruitment to fill this critical position permanently.”
Ms. Farrell brings more than 35 years of experience in municipal government and finance. Most recently, she served as City Manager for Costa Mesa, where she oversaw eight departments and more than 600 employees. Appointed in 2019, she guided the city through significant financial growth, increasing the General Fund and related reserves by $10 million and securing a record $16.5 million in grants for parks and open space. Her strategic negotiations with the Las Vegas Raiders brought $700,000 in local sports investments, a mobile recreation van for underserved youth, and over $1 million in economic benefits for local businesses.
Prior to Costa Mesa, Ms. Farrell spent nine years with the City of Huntington Beach as Assistant City Manager assisting in the oversight of 10 departments, and Chief Financial Officer, managing a $344 million budget. Under her leadership, Huntington Beach grew its General Fund reserves by nearly $11 million.
Ms. Farrell’s leadership extended to global trade during her six-year tenure on the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, including two years as Board President. She oversaw operations at the nation’s second-largest container port, responsible for $180 billion in international trade and 30,000 local jobs. Her role included participation in trade missions across Asia, Europe, and Latin America, strengthening economic ties and advancing port competitiveness. Earlier in her career, Ms. Farrell served as City Controller and Chief Financial Officer for Long Beach, managing a $2.3 billion citywide budget.
On accepting this position, Ms. Farrell said, “I am excited to lead Santa Rosa’s dedicated executive team during this important transition. I look forward to using my three decades of leadership, financial management, and community engagement skills to help Mayor Stapp and the City Council to continue providing a high level of quality services to the Santa Rosa community.”
Her achievements have earned numerous honors, including the Golden Hub of Innovation Award and recognition from the League of California Cities. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree from Barnard College of Columbia University.